“Wait this is really good, are you sure it’s vegan and gluten free?” -actual words from my bf after trying this😂

For the first time ever, I tried baking with hazelnut flour and now I can confirm: it is very much like baking with almond flour and VERY much delicious. Highly recommend👌🏻

This bread is pretty dang easy to make, gluten-free, vegan (unless you decide to use a different protein powder or regular eggs instead of flax eggs), and has zero added sugar since it’s sweetened by the mashed banana. It’s also insanely tasty topped with nut butter, just a tip.

Oh, and one more tip – it’s moist, so need to worry about it being crumbly per se, but if you don’t let it cool properly before transferring it out of the loaf pan, it might break apart! Just FYI😊

I posted this plate on Instagram this past weekend and everyone seemed to go crazy over that scone and I can tell you it was for good reason😎 If you’re not usually a scone fan, I get it. They’re usually dry, and kind of the less-exciting version of a muffin, but I can promise you that these are nothing like that! They’re flavorful, bright, moist (sorry🙈) and could definitely hold their own next to a muffin!

The best part, though? They’re essentially made in a food processor…like YES PLEASE. The easier the better👏🏼 They’re also grain-free and gluten-free if you double check to make sure your oats are, plus they a far greater nutritional value than traditional scones thanks to the almond flour (that has protein!). Keep scrollin’ for the recipe!

In a small bowl, whisk together the vanilla, honey, and eggs. Add to blender and pulse until just combined. Fold in strawberries.

Using a spatula, put the batter on a piece of parchment paper into a flattened circle about 1 inch thick. Cover with another piece of parchment or plastic wrap and store in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

After dough has set, preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit and cut the dough into 8 triangles. It’ll be super sticky but using a spatula or flipper will help move the triangles about an inch apart.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until starting to brown. If adding the coconut sugar, remove the scones after 10 minutes, sprinkle on the sugar, then place back in the oven for another 5 minutes or so.

Let cool completely (about 20 minutes) before moving or eating! They will probably crumble if you try to move them before that, so try to either be patient or just eat the pieces😊

And that’s it! Easy peasy, perfect for a weekend treat, brunch party, or picnic. I can’t wait to make other varieties of this!! Let me know in the comments if there are any other flavors you’d like to see😍

I’m not gonna lie to you, this is not completely *my* recipe. My mom actually discovered it from the Food Network and I just adapted it every so slightly! It’s dad and boyfriend approved, so you know it’s a good one😏

It’s also insanely easy and CHEAP. Cauliflower crust has been all the rage lately, and I do love that too, but it costs a pretty penny. This recipe gets even cheaper if you buy dried beans and soak them overnight, which is what I do because #BabesOnABudget

What I love most about it though, is that it has a bit more of a bread consistency (unlike the cauliflower crusts) and you can top it with absolutely anything. I think I might try to make a dessert pizza with it soon! Also just fyi, the texture of this crust is definitely on the drier side, so I definitely recommend eating it right away.

Chickpea Pizza Crust

1 can or 1 1/2 cups chickpeas

1 egg

1 tbsp almond flour

1 tsp each salt + pepper

1 tsp each garlic + onion powder

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. *Be sure to spray the parchment paper with cooking spray, too!

In a blender or food processor, add all ingredients and pulse until smooth like a dough or thicker version of hummus.

Using a spatula, transfer the dough onto the parchment paper and flatten into a circle that’s about 1 cm thick. Bake for 15 minutes.

If you’re still looking for something sweet to make for Valentine’s Day, I’ve got you covered!

These cutout cookies are legitimately INCREDIBLE, and they’re even on the healthier side, if that’s something you’re concerned about! The base is almond and coconut flour, and the only sweetener is 1/4 cup of honey. You can leave as is, but I find them to be sooo much better frosted! And yes, I know that adds sugar to them but hey, all we can do is our best, right?😂

The only other thing you need to know about these lil babies is that they’re actually better after the first day, which is why I’m posting this before Valentine’s Day. If you make them today, or even tomorrow, they’ll be perfect in time for celebrating!

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, and salt.

In a larger bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients including the egg, vanilla, honey and ghee. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet, and knead with hands until fully combined. The dough may feel crumbly at first, but I promise it’ll come together!

Form dough into one ball, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. When ready to remove dough, preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Once the dough has chilled, dust a clean counter space with coconut flour. Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut out shapes. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until they start to brown. *Cookies won’t expand, so you can place them closely together!

Let cookies cool for at least 30 minutes before frosting or removing from the baking sheet. While they’re cooling, whisk together the ingredients for the frosting. Using a knife or spoon, decorate the cookies with the frosting, or any other add-ons you’d like. *If the frosting feels too thick, add water 1 tbsp at a time, or if it’s too thin, add powdered sugar 1 tbsp at a time. Store in an airtight container.

Let me know if you guys make these!! I’m seriously obsessed with them, I think I was eating at least three a day last week…😅

I gotta be honest with you, I never pegged myself for one of those meal kit or meal delivery people…

I just figured, okay I love to grocery shop and I love to cook, so why would I need someone to take care of those things for me, right? Wrong.

Here’s the thing, while I do love shopping/cooking and I don’t actually mind spending time doing them, I never realized just how much time they took out of my daily life. I don’t know about you, but I make about 80% of my meals each week at home, which means I’m prepping breakfast and lunch ahead of the work day, and then cooking when I get home at night.

If you can’t relate to me on that, I bet you can relate to me on this – do you know the feeling when you get home from a vacation and you’re exhausted AF so the thought of going to the crowded grocery store let alone standing in the kitchen long enough to put something together just sounds terrible? YEAH. I know you do. That was me last week when I got back into town after 4 days on the east coast with very minimal sleep.

My savior? Territory Foods. The week before I went out of town, I remembered that I’d probably have that sinking feeling when I got home and had nothing in the fridge. Not to mention, I’m trying to be good about my eats these days since my broken elbow has caused quite the disruption in my workout routine!

So, I went onto the Territory Foods website and decided to place an order for breakfast and lunch for the three days following my trip. They would be delivered to my door the day I got back into LA and the best part? There’s no subscription – which is a game changer for me since my schedule never looks the same day to day.

Here’s what appealed to me most about Territory Foods: everything is made by local chefs who take input from a nutritionist to create balanced meals and the menu changes week to week. The ingredients are sustainably and locally sourced, and you can even choose filters to match your diet preferences (like Whole 30, Paleo, or low carb). All of their meals are free of gluten and dairy ingredients, which is also nice if you’re sensitive to those! You also get to customize your order to choose exactly which meals you’d like and there are a tonnnn of delicious options. I was actually super impressed with the selection!

And, as I mentioned, there’s no subscription/regular commitment requirement, but it is slightly cheaper if you choose a recurring plan and makes sense to opt into the recurring discount, since you can skip/pause/cancel anytime.

The Process

The Thursday before I got back from my travels, I went onto the Territory Foods website and placed my order. Since deliveries come Mondays and Thursdays, and my flight landed on Monday, I knew I’d be okay in terms of timing/getting the food in the fridge as quickly as possible. There were two size options: Standard (between 400 and 600 calories) or Boost (between 250 and 400 calories).

I chose to pick Standard, since I know myself and 250 calories ain’t gonna cut it for me, which came out to $13.95 a meal. I know this might sound like it’s pricey, and the Boost meals only cost $10.95 a meal if you’re trying to save, but I’ll tell ya – my breakfasts were enormous, I was able to share with my boyfriend, and two lunches actually lasted me for three days. So if you break it down, it’s probably around $10 a serving, which isn’t bad! Not to mention that I wasn’t snacking at all since I was full, so I didn’t have to worry about bringing energy bars or anything like that. I’d say that’s pretty cost effective, especially when you factor in the time saved!

My Order

Breakfast & Lunch Day 1:

Veggie Breakfast Bowl with Caprese Salsa – I loooooved this one! So much flavor.

Pulled Pork with Butternut Squash and Brussels – Such a hearty but nutritious meal. The veggies were seasoned and cooked perfectly!

Breakfast & Lunch Day 2:

Veggie Breakfast Bowl with Caprese Salsa – Good thing I ordered this one twice ’cause I loved it so much.

Vegan Mac & “Cheese” with Seasonal Vegetables – my FAVE.

Breakfast & Lunch Day 3:

Lemon Poppy Muffins with Cinnamon Breakfast Apples – These muffins were so good that I legitimately regretted sharing one with my boyfriend…

After having three days and six meals prepared for me ahead of time with Territory Foods, I can honestly say that I might be a meal delivery service convert…so much so that I actually ordered three lunches again for this upcoming week since I’m going out of town yet again and it doesn’t make sense to stock up on groceries.

SO. Is this the most frugal option for someone looking to eat real, home-cooked meals? No. Is this a ridiculously convenient and delicious option for weeks when you’re busy, coming home to an empty fridge, or tired AF? YES.

I don’t know what other meal delivery services are like, but I can tell you that the two most important things about Territory Foods to me personally are the following: 1) it’s not subscription based and 2) there is an unbelievable amount of variety no matter what diet you’re on or health goals you have. I honestly cannot recommend it enough!

If you’d like to see what mean, and trust me, I won’t let ya down, head over to Territory Foods and use the code DANCINGFORDONUTS for $30 off your first order. You can also order directly through this link – I won’t make any money from it, I just honestly know you’ll love it if you try it!

So there ya have it, fine folk. Have you ever ordered from a meal delivery service before?

Look, I get it, I thought tofu was gross for like 27 years of my life, but now I’m a freakin’ fan. I seriously think the key is just to make a good sauce and cook it so that it’s not soft and weird and gross – which THIS is not. This? Is awesome.

If you’re rolling your eyes at the fact that I’m posting yet another air-fryer recipe, I also get that. Not everyone has one, let alone the space in their kitchen to have one (these things are BIG). The good news is that you really don’t need an air-fryer for this, you can just as easily make it in your oven, so fret not😉

There are two things, however, that you will need to make this recipe awesome: 1) extra firm tofu that you strain the excess water out of (directions below) and 2) these shirataki or “miracle noodles.” They are gluten-free, vegan, super low-calorie, and zero carb. They sound super bizarre and I’ve known about them for years but was hesitant to try them, but you GUYS. These are GREAT!

I promise they don’t taste weird, my only suggestion would be to rinse them and then let them soak up whatever sauce you’re using. I can’t imagine they’d taste great by themselves, so don’t try that…unless you really want to, of course. And by all means, if regular or whole wheat or chickpea pasta is more your speed, just swap it out for that, but I will say that I feel much better eating this big noodle dish for lunch or before bed since it’s not super heavy. But your call! We don’t judge here😊

^ actual footage of my tofu draining on the kitchen counter under a pile of cookbooks…

Oh! And one more thing – before you go all crazy thinking I’m a liar for saying this recipe is super easy when you see that the ingredients list and directions are kind of long, I promise you this dish requires very minimal actual effort. It just takes a bit of time to do the tofu sitch and the air frying, but the ingredients are mostly the same for the marinade and the sauce, anyway. The really good news, though? The air-fryer (or oven) really does all the work for ya, I promise.

1. Press the water out of the tofu by cutting into thinner strips, placing it between paper towels on a plate, and then using weight to drain the excess water for at least 10 minutes. (I usually do this by putting a cutting board and a bunch of cookbooks on top!)

2. While the tofu is draining, mix together all the ingredients for your marinade in a medium sized bowl.

3. Once the tofu is done, cut it into small cubes. Toss the cubes in the bowl with the marinade and gently shake or use a spoon to coat it completely.

4. Air-fry the tofu for 15 minutes at 390 degrees fahrenheit, taking it out every 5 minutes to shake it up. **If you don’t have an air-fryer, bake your tofu for 20 minutes at 375 degrees fahrenheit.

5. While the tofu is frying, make your peanut sauce by putting all ingredients in a small bowl (or the one you’d like to eat your noodles in!) and whisk until as smooth as possible.

6. Open your shirataki noodles and drain them with a strainer. If you’d like your dish hot, simple put them in a pan and sauté them until warm (or microwave), otherwise put them in the bowl with the peanut sauce and toss to coat.

7. Once your tofu is done aka crispy on the outside by still slightly soft, add it to your bowl. Top with anything you’d like and dig on in!

Okay y’all, that is IS for today. I really do hope you try this in whatever form/variety works for you and your kitchen – it’s so delicious. And cheap! Super cheap.

I seriously can’t believe it’s already April, you guys. Where is this year going!?!?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m super pumped for summer, but that fact that it’s April means that I’ve already been living with my boyfriend for 5 months, working at my new job for over a month, and this year is already a quarter over. That is nuts!!! In all honesty though, I really love spring because to me, it feels like a fresh start. Y’all know we don’t totally get a winter in LA, but it has been chillier this year than any other year I’ve lived here (all 7 of ’em!), and with a bunch of changes this year I’ve found myself feeling slightly overwhelmed and out of whack. Spring means I can re-visit the goals I set for myself in the new year and establish new intentions for the months ahead. 2018 has been pretty damn wonderful so far, so I’m PUMPED to see what the rest of it has in store!

But in any case, going back to what I was saying about feeling a bit out of sorts, the first thing I turn to when I need to get my a$$ back in gear is my meals. That being said though, the first thing to go when my schedule gets crazy is the grocery shopping (especially since my boyfriend and I usually do our shopping together in one trip). It’s because of this that I’m trying to get more resourceful with healthy, simple meals like my go-to quinoa salad with whatever veggies we’ve got in the fridge or breakfast-for-dinner. Over the weekend, I realized that all we really had for my lunches was some quinoa, bell peppers, and veggie burgers, but then I noticed a can of chickpeas in the pantry! BINGO.

With that can of chickpeas, oats (also in my pantry), an onion (something we alwaysssss have on hand!) and some spices, I made myself a meal! Well sort of – when I paired it with the quinoa and veggies, that is😉 I air-fried these falafel, but you can just as easily make them in the oven! I like air frying them because they get that nice crisp on the outside with no oil, but it’s totally up to you – maybe I’ll try baking them next to see what happens! They’re vegan, gluten-free, and I made a super simple sauce to pair them with by taking hummus, watering it down slightly with warm water, and squeezing half a lemon over the top.

2. Form the ‘dough’ into 1 inch balls and place the balls in an even layer in the air fryer basket.

3. Air fry for 15 minutes at 370 degrees fahrenheit (or bake at 375 degrees fahrenheit on a greased baking sheet for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through). Enjoy right away or store for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

Well there ya have it folks! What about you – what’s your go-to lunch or dinner when you’re running super low on groceries? I think we all could use a few more ideas!

I know I’ve posted recipes for energy bites in the past, but they’re literally the easiest things to make ever AND can be a zillion different flavors. As I get into the swing of things with my new job and my schedule, I’m also getting back into meal prep and packing my lunches. As always, snacks are literally my best friend. Like when I tell you that every single day I make sure I have at least two snacks in my lunch bag, I am not kidding, guys😅

I’ve gotten pretty good at making a filling enough breakfast to last me until lunch, but some days I still get hungry around 11:30, or want a sweet treat at around 3pm. They have some snacks at work, but you know me, I like to pack my own so I know exactly what I’m eating and don’t get tempted to raid the cereal or candy!

I’ve also learned that if I don’t have a snack that has protein in it, I’m screwed. So the aforementioned candy/cereal/crackers/whatever is out in the kitchen? Yeah, probably not going to cut it for me even if I do decide to indulge. Therefore, I either bring an energy bar (which is generally the norm) or I bring my own homemade version (which I’m trying to make the new norm). I know the prices for energy bars and such can actually be pretty great when they’re on sale, but they all have six thousand ingredients. Have you ever noticed that?! Larabars are definitely the cleanest (or RxBars, but I’m not a fan of the texture) aaaaand they’re also the easiest to make.

Some people have an issue with the dates in these things and look, I know they’re packed with sugar, but they’re also rich in fiber, vitamins, and iron, PLUS they help boost energy. There are obviously energy bite recipes made with oats and fewer dates, but I personally love the texture of these. They’re actually not all that sweet, I promise, and since they’re more filling, you’ll feel satisfied after just two or three.

TL;DR – Make these. They are cheap, and filling, and have lots of good-for-you ingredients😉

Almond Butter & Jelly Bites

5-7 large pitted dates (best if fresh – I used Medjool)

1 1/2 cups raw almonds

2 tablespoons nut butter (I used peanut butter, just because I love it, but you can’t really taste it!)

1. In a food processor or high powered blender, add all ingredients except for freeze-dried strawberries and water. Pulse 2-3 times and then scrape down the sides of the blender with a spatula.

2. Repeat until a dough-like consistency forms and feel free to add the water one tablespoon at a time if you’re having trouble blending the mixture, but be sure not to over-blend as some crunch will add texture!

3. Put the crushed strawberries on a plate and form the dough into 1 inch balls. Roll each ball into the fruit to coat it and then softly press the strawberries into the bites so they don’t fall right off. Refrigerate in an air-tight container for up to 10 days.

How is everyone doing?! Counting down to the holidays like me? This season tends to be extra crazy at work what with prepping content ahead of time to accommodate everyone’s vacation schedules (I work in social media marketing), so a vacation will be much needed when we finally get to it! I’m not gonna lie though, I always love the weeks leading up to Christmas (and Hanukkah!) because they’re so fun and festive. We went to our first holiday party last weekend and have another this weekend and I don’t think anything beats mulled wine and Christmas cookies.

That being said, I am trying to make sure I’m taking care of my health before things really ramp up, much like I was before Thanksgiving, because I tend to crave only sweets around this time and unfortunately that just ain’t gonna cut it, sister. I’ve been adding extra greens to my smoothies, extra veggies to my lunch, and trying to get my sweat on in some capacity every single day. Since we all know I’m a big snacker, especially when I need to fuel myself through a workout, ideally I like to combine my sweet tooth with my commitment to my health. And can I tell you? It’s actually reallyyyyy easy to make super delicious “treats” that are full of nourishing ingredients. Just ask my boyfriend – I told him these brownie bites were healthy and his mind was blown. He literally said, “but they don’t taste healthy.” MISSION. ACCOMPLISHED.

I know “healthy” is a relative term, but if chia seeds, rolled oats and nut butter aren’t good for you, I’m not sure what is. These are gluten-free (as long as your oats are) and packed with an insane amount of protein. They also take about 6 minutes from start to finish which is kind of outrageous. My absolute favorite part of them, though? The collagen.

I’ve started incorporating Further Food collagen into my diet (as I mentioned in my November favorites!) and this stuff continues to blow my mind. Dairy free, gluten free, non-GMO, sugar free and organic, collagen helps improve gut health, bone strength, and hair/skin/nails. Apparently in our 20’s we start producing less collagen than before, which can lend itself to saggy, wrinkly skin, weak bones, and achey joints. Nooooo thank you. By adding collagen into our diets through supplementation, we can help prevent and reverse this process. AND! And. It has protein, which helps keep you full and can prevent overeating. Yes. Please.

I’ve been loving Further Food because it has absolutely no taste and dissolves completely. This means I can put it in my coffee, smoothie, oatmeal, yogurt, hot cocoa, fancy golden milk latté, or even WATER without even noticing. Now that’s something you definitely cannot do with protein powder. If you want to try this stuff, and I promise you won’t be disappointed, you can use my code DANCINGFORDONUTS for 10% off! If you don’t, which is totally cool, I would just swap at the collagen in the recipe below for another tbsp of the chocolate protein powder. You won’t get all the awesome extra benefits, though😉

Anywayssssss, these little babies are basically winter goodness in a ball, and they are perfect for when you’re craving something slightly sweet! They’re kind of like how dark chocolate is – a bit sweet but not too much so. If you like things on the sweeter side, I might add a touch more honey. Up to you, though!

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and stir until wet are completely mixed with dry. Use your fingers if you’ve got to, and if it feels too dry after about 30 seconds of mixing, add a touch more almond milk. You shouldn’t need any, though 🙂

2. Shape into 1 inch balls and let harden in the fridge for at least one hour (or freeze ’em for 30 minutes!). Will keep in the fridge for up to one week in an airtight container.